Our thoughts are very crucial to our attitudes and the places we find ourselves in life. Aside from this, they also have to do with the choices we make and the kinds of friends we pick for ourselves and hang out with. Thoughts are very important for many other reasons, and many psychologists, researchers and scientists have been able to relate the quality of our thoughts to our realities; according to them, positive thoughts attracts even more positivity to us and goodness to us on our journey through life while negative thoughts may attract negative energy.
WHY IS POSITIVE THINKING SO IMPORTANT?
Positive thinking or positivity has always held sway on humanity in one way or another. Many people believe that the world works on energies and that what you give out or project is what you tend to receive; this roughly means that the type of energy – or, in another mainstream term, vibe – you give to other people, and the universe as a whole, tends to bounce back on you.
Oh, you might say something like, “I’m mean to people all the time but they never do anything about it,” but when you truly take the time to unpack and examine that sentiment – and similar statements – you might be forced to face the hard truth about just how many of those people you’re mean to truly like you as you are. You might be surprised. And even if hundreds of them do like and love you, having accepted the harder parts of your personality without question – which might actually be because of who you are, what you have and what they think they might be able to get from you – you might also want to ask yourself just how many of those people are liking or loving you right.
Another thing you might say at this point is: “What does my attitude have to do with positive thinking?” However, as Joyce Meyer said, “You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind”. Our thoughts control who we are as well as the kinds of behaviors that make up our personalities.
However, this is not the only thing that our thoughts control. Perhaps, this was why Peace Pilgrim said, “If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.”
HOW TO CHANGE NEGATIVE THINKING INTO POSITIVE
W. Clement Stone said, “There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.” Luckily, it is possible for thoughts to be controlled and changed, even though it might not be easy. Similarly, it is very possible for one to change negative thinking – along with its tendency to attract negative energy – to positive thinking and the goodness that comes with it, as well as the goodness it brings your way. Some of the methods of doing this include the following:
- Trying to see the silver lining
Peter McWilliams said, “For many, negative thinking is a habit which, over time, becomes an addiction”. One thing about positive thinking is that it relies heavily on optimism and, similarly, one huge part of optimism is the way it allows a person to see the silver lining in less than ideal situations. Asides from the theory of how energy attracts more of its kind, the act of cultivating this type of behavior – i.e. trying or having the tendency to see silver linings in every situation – has a more practical application. This has to do with the fact that it opens your mind to new possibilities and enables you to think outside the box, which will assist you greatly in finding the way out of less than ideal or bad situations. Quite basically, by trying to see the silver lining in any bad situation, you are not only cultivating positivity but you are also leaving yourself open to new, out-of-the-box solutions to pressing problems; thus making you a better problem solver and optimist. Winston Churchill said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” You can master your thinking and become an optimist.
- Cultivating hope
Hope is an integral part of positive thinking. It allows you to keep yourself open to new opportunities as well as new possibilities. Also, it helps you have motivation and expectations for a better future; even as you work hard towards it (i.e. a better future). Hope keeps you motivated and it also provides moral and emotional drive for you, even when you face difficulties. Hope also helps you to believe in humanity and the goodness in people, even after any possible negative experiences you may have had with other people. Quite basically, exercising and cultivating hope helps you to see the kindness in people, which goes a long way towards helping you maintain your positivity and positive thinking. Robert H Schuller said, “The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking.”
- Professing positive words
There is a general theory that whatever energy you give out to the world is what will eventually what would come back to you, and another common theory that applies to positive thinking, which is: the words you say have an impact on your life. This is part of the reason why many people believe that when you speak positive words to yourself, you are cultivating positivity. This method is also likely to prove useful when it comes to changing negative thinking into positive thoughts. The process of doing involves very simple steps, however the actual implementation of these steps may not be easy (even though it does tend to get easier when practiced over time).
How it works is this: whenever something happens, and it stresses you out and propels you into negative thinking or negative thoughts, you have to try and stop those thoughts in their tracks and tell yourself positive words. Examples of these kinds of words include: “I am beautiful”, “I am worthy”, and “I deserve every good thing I want that comes my way”, particularly if self- perception or self-esteem issues are part of those negative thoughts. You may have to say find a quiet spot in order to say those words out loud, or mumble them to yourself silently or even say them over and over in your mind. However, the most important thing is for you to say them consistently and mean them. Above all, don’t let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out. The worst person to be around is someone who complains about everything and appreciates nothing. Michael P. Watson said, “You can never win an argument with a negative person. They only hear what suits them and listen only to respond.”